“You are not forgetting that it will be very dangerous?  We shall carry our lives in our hands.”

“That will be nothing new; I have carried my life in my hands ever since I came to Venezuela.”

“True, and if you are prepared to encounter the risk and the hardship—­As for myself, I must confess that the idea pleases me.  But have you any money?  We shall have to equip our expedition.  If there are only four of us we shall not get beyond the Rio Negro.  The Indians of that region are as fierce as alligators.”

“I have a few maracotes in the waistband of my trousers and this ring.”

“That ring is worth nothing, my friend; at any rate not more than a few reals.”

“A few reals!  It contains a ruby, though you don’t see it, worth fully five hundred piasters—­if I could find a customer for it.”

“I don’t think you will easily find a customer for a ruby ring on the llanos.  However, I’ll tell you what.  An old friend of mine, a certain Senor Morillones, has a large estate at a place called Naparima on the Apure.  Let us go there to begin with.  Morillones will supply us with mules, and we may possibly persuade some of his people to accompany us.  Treasure-hunting is always an attraction for the adventurous.  What say you?”

“Yes.  By all means let us go.”

“We may regard it as settled, then, that we make in the first instance for Naparima.”

“Certainly.”

“That being the case the best thing we can do is to have a sleep.  We got none last night, and we are not likely to get any to-night.”

As Carmen spoke he folded his arms and shut his eyes.  I followed his example, and we knew no more until, as it seemed in about five minutes, we were roused by a terrific howl.

We jumped up at once and ran out of the thicket.  Gahra and Guido were waiting for us, each with a led horse.

“We were beginning to think you had been taken, or gone away,” said Guido, hoarsely.  “I have howled six times in succession.  My voice will be quite ruined.”

“It did not sound so just now.  We were fast asleep.”

“Pizarro!” I exclaimed, greatly delighted by the sight of my old favorite.  “You have brought Pizarro!  How did you manage that, Gahra?”

“He came to the camp last night.  But mount at once, senor.  We got away without difficulty—­stole off while the men were at supper.  But we met an officer who asked us a question; and though Guido said we were taking the horses by order of General Mejia himself, he did not appear at all satisfied, and if he should speak to the general something might happen, especially as it is not long since we left the camp, and we have been waiting here ten minutes.  Here is a spear for you, and the pistols in your holsters are loaded and primed.”

I mounted without asking any more questions.  Gahra’s news was disquieting, and we had no time to lose; for, in order to reach the llanos without the almost certainty of falling into the hands of our friend Griscelli, we should have to pass within a mile of the patriot camp, and if an alarm were given, our retreat might be cut off.  This, however, seemed to be our only danger; our horses were fleet and fresh, and the llanos near, and, once fairly away, we might bid defiance to pursuit.